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WJTN Headlines for Tues., July 27, 2021

Mayor, City Council, formally recognize JPD officer who saved family from burning house...
City lawmakers formally recognized the Jamestown police officer who saved members of a family from their burning home one week ago.  Mayor Eddie Sundquist read the proclamation for Officer Mark Conklin, who caught multiple members of a family at 116 1/2 William St., as they jumped from a second-floor window of the burning house.  Sundquist praised Conklin for "truly going above and beyond" the call of duty that early Monday morning.  He and Council President Tony Dolce talked earlier in the day about the fact this is the second-time this year that a city employee has rescued members of a family from a burning building.  Conklin simply said thank-you, and that he appreciated the recogition.  City Council later approved a resolution recognizing and commending Conklin for his actions.  Last March 23... Public Works dump truck operator Joe Pollino... a 15-year employee... was working when he saw an apartment house fire at 703 Washington St.  He later wound up catching two people that jumped from the second floor of that building.


Council approves obtaining 10 syringe disposal containers for city...
City Council members last night approved a resolution to acquire 10 containers for used syringe disposal at various points in Jamestown.  The city will acquire the containers from the HOPE Chautauqua Coalition, and costs will be handled through a New York State Health Department grant.  Council President Tony Dolce says the drop boxes will be placed at a number of locations so people with drug addiction issues, and members of the public, can properly dispose of them.  Some possible locations include city schools... and, some of the parks.  The Greater Jamestown Riverwalk is another place where used syringes have been found, and a container will likely be placed somewhere along that.  Dolce says setting up syringe drop boxes in other communities has dramatically reduced the number of syringe needles found in those municipalities.


City man takes plea deal in fatal stabbing case...
A Jamestown man who was facing the start of his jury trial in Chautauqua County Court Monday for a stabbing death has taken a plea deal.  22-year-old Tavion Turner pled guilty to a reduced count of first-degree manslaughter with a sentence promise of between 18 and 22 years determinate... plus 5 years post-release supervision.  Turner was facing two counts of second-degree murder stemming from the 2017 death of Dyllan Ownbey.  He had been indicted by the county Grand Jury in May of 2019.  Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22.


In light of huge increase in COVID-19 cases the past month, Cuomo again urges people who are not vaccinated to do so...
New York state has seen it's number of daily COVID-19 numbers jump by five-times the rate they were one month ago.  Governor Andrew Cuomo made that the point of a news conference Monday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.  Cuomo says the huge increase is being fueled primarily by the so-called "Delta Variant" of COVID... accounting for 72% of the cases now.  The number of new cases on June 26 was 346.  However... yesterday's numbers showed 1,982 new confirmed cases.  Cuomo used the occasion to push people to get the COVID-19 vaccine... adding that only .15% of the new cases were among people who had been vaccindated.  He says "they work!.." and concluded that "we cannot go backwards."


Wendel says, while county COVID-19 numbers are good, they are monitoring the situation... 
COVID-19 numbers continue to rise across New York State... but, so far it doesn't seem to be a major issue in Chautauqua County.  County Executive PJ Wendel spoke about the issue Monday... prior to 5 new cases being announced.  There was also one new death.  However... Wendel says the numbers here have generally been low.  Meanwhile, the Delta Variant of COVID is now accounting for the majority of all new cases in the U-S.  Wendel says the vaccine should minimize any symptoms from that as well... and he says people who have not been vaccinated should consider doing so.  He encouraged them to get the facts from their primary care physician.  The five new cases brings the total number local to 9,326... and 10 are currently active.  The new death brings that total to 158 since the pandemic began.  There are no hospitalizations... and, 9,158 cases have now recovered.


Wendel says county has determined five "focus areas" to use $24.6-Million in ARP funding...
Chautauqua County officials have determined five different "focus areas" to use just over $24-million in federal COVID-19 stimulus funding.  County Executive P.J. Wendel said Monday that the focus areas are investing in Public Health, Public Safety and Infrastructure, Economic and Workforce Development, Clean Water and Internal Department Investment Projects.  Wendel says the 24.6-million dollars in state and local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund is part of the 'American Rescue Plan Act' that was signed into law by President Biden on this past Mar. 11. 


City woman arrested on Leandra's Law, and other charges...         
A Jamestown woman faces a Leandra's Law violation following a report of an altercation last Sunday night at a home in Ashville.  Sheriff's officers were called to a home on South Maple Avenue about 9:30 p.m., and, following an investigation, arrested 27 year-old Alexis Yarber.  They determined that Yarber had physically harassed another person in the presence of a child under the age of 17... and, also damaged property belonging to the victim.  Deputies also found that Yarber drove her car to that location in a impaired state while having two children in the vehicle.  Yarber was arrested on charges including DWI-Leandra's Law, unlicensed operation, third-degree criminal mischief, and endangering the Welfare of a child.